John O'Shea has challenged Sunderland to end their West Brom hoodoo and "push on" to the top 10.

The Black Cats have lost their last two in the Premier League, yet stand 13th in the table four points behind 10th-placed Stoke City.

They travel to the Hawthorns on Saturday in search of their first win in over a month, having lost five of their last six meetings with the Baggies.

And O’Shea said: “As the manager has pointed out, where we are in the table looks fairly comfortable, but a couple of wins would really push us on. That’s what we have to do, starting at West Brom. We’re under no illusions how hard it will be, we got a good hammering there last year.

“We’ll have to be on our toes. But the second half against Arsenal 10 days ago was something to build on, even though we didn’t score.

“We know we’ll have to be defensively very strong as a team away from home at West Brom though.” Having returned from a warm-weather training camp in Dubai at the weekend, Sunderland resumed preparations for Saturday at the Academy of Light yesterday.

Though Danny Rose remains a doubt for the trip to the west Midlands with a hamstring injury, the Chronicle understands Lee Cattermole will remain in the starting XI, despite having just returned to action – in the home defeat to Arsenal – following knee ligament damage.

Understandably rusty and booked early in proceedings, the Black Cats captain lasted just 45 minutes on his comeback.

But O’Shea, Sunderland’s skipper in Cattermole’s absence, is delighted to have the midfielder back in the fold.

“Catts will go from strength to strength now,” said O’Shea.

“He was probably living on a knife’s edge for most of that first half against Arsenal after getting booked so early.

“But he got a good boost from that fitness-wise and he’s been able to work on that.

“Having him back for the final games of the season will be a big, big boost for us.”